Inhibition of neural crest cell migration by aggregating chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans is mediated by their hyaluronan-binding region.

We have recently shown that the large hyaluronan-aggregating chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan from cartilage (PG-LA) is unfavorable as a substrate for neural crest cell migration in vitro and that this macromolecule inhibits cell dispersion on fibronectin substrates when included in the medium (R. Perris and S. Johansson, 1987, J. Cell Biol. 105, 2511-2521). In this study we present data on the specificity of the migration-repressing activity of PG-LA and data on the molecular mechanisms by which the proteoglycan might impair neural crest cell motility. Soluble PG-LA potently impaired cell migration on substrates of laminin/laminin-nidogen, vitronectin, and collagen types I, III, IV, and VI. When tested in solid-phase binding assays, PG-LA bound avidly to substrates of collagen types I-III and V. Conversely, minimal amounts of the proteoglycan bound to substrates of laminin-nidogen, vitronectin, collagen types IV and VI, and fibronectin or to a proteolytic fragment encompassing its cell-binding domain (105 kDa). Preincubation of these substrates with soluble PG-LA prior to plating of the cells had no effect on their locomotory behavior. These results indicate that PG-LA affects neural crest cell movement primarily through an interaction with the cell surface, rather than by association with the cell motility-promoting substrate molecules. The molecular interaction of soluble PG-LA with neural crest cells was further examined by analyzing the effects of isolated domains of the proteoglycan on cell migration on fibronectin. Addition of chondroitin sulfate chains, the core protein free of glycosaminoglycans, the isolated hyaluronan-binding region (HABr), or a proteolytic fragment corresponding to the keratan sulfate-enriched domain of the PG-LA to neural crest cells migrating on fibronectin or the 105-kDa fibronectin fragment had no significant effect on their motility. After reduction and alkylation, PG-LA was considerably less efficient in perturbing cell movement on fibronectin substrates and virtually ineffective in altering migration on the 105-kDa fragment. In the presence of hyaluronan fragments of 16-30 monosaccharides in length, or an antiserum against the HABr, the migration repressing activity of PG-LA was reduced in a dose-dependent fashion. Furthermore, the inhibitory action of PG-LA was significantly reduced by treatment of the cells with Streptomyces hyaluronidase.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)